0000000000987291

AUTHOR

Michaela Van Staden

The complete mitochondrial genome of Bactrocera biguttula (Bezzi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and phylogenetic relationships with other Dacini

Bactrocera biguttula is an African olive fruit fly that does not attack cultivated olives but rather develops in the fruits of wild species of Olea and Noronhia. The complete mitochondrial genome of an individual specimen was characterized in comparison to other Bactrocera. The phylogenetic relationships of B. biguttula with other Dacini were investigated, with special focus on B. oleae, an agricultural pest known to attack cultivated and wild olives. The sequence had a total length of 15,829 bp, and included the typical features of insect mitogenomes, similarly to the other Bactrocera analysed. Start codons included ATG, ATC, ATT, and TCG (in COI). The majority of stop codons (TAA) were fu…

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Barcoding of parasitoid wasps (Braconidae and Chalcidoidea) associated with wild and cultivated olives in the Western Cape of South Africa

Wild and cultivated olives harbor and share a diversity of insects, some of which are considered agricultural pests, such as the olive fruit fly. The assemblage of olive-associated parasitoids and seed wasps is rich and specialized in sub-Saharan Africa, with native species possibly coevolving with their hosts. Although historical entomological surveys reported on the diversity of olive wasp species in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, no comprehensive study has been performed in the region in the molecular era. In this study, a dual approach combining morphological and DNA-based methods was used for the identification of adult specimens reared from olive fruits. Four species of B…

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Barcoding of parasitoid wasps (Braconidae and Chalcidoidea) associated with wild and cultivated olives in the Western Cape of South Africa 1

Wild and cultivated olives harbor and share a diversity of insects, some of which are considered agricultural pests, such as the olive fruit fly. The assemblage of olive-associated parasitoids and seed wasps is rich and specialized in sub-Saharan Africa, with native species possibly coevolving with their hosts. Although historical entomological surveys reported on the diversity of olive wasp species in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, no comprehensive study has been performed in the region in the molecular era. In this study, a dual approach combining morphological and DNA-based methods was used for the identification of adult specimens reared from olive fruits. Four species of Br…

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